Ankle brace



Au@ l 1950 J. M. HAusER ETAL ANKLE BRACE Filed' Jan. 27, 164e 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hawa' l l .Il

All@ l, 1950 J. M. -HAusER Erm. 2,516,872

A ANKLE BRACE Filed'Jan. 27. 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .1I Jahn Mz Mz l? 13m/fe M. s we and one side of the brace;

Patented Aug. 1, 17950 T OFFICE 1 AN KLE BRACE John M. Hauser, Takoma Park, Md., and

`Burke Snow, Washington, D. C.

Application anuary 27, 1948, Serial No.V 4,608

` e claims. (c1. 12s-so) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

. amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. `Gr. 757) i governmental purposes, Without payment to us of any royalty thereon.

`This invention relates generally to an ankle brace but more particularly to a brace of the type which may be interchangeably connected to any one of a plurality of shoes.

One object of the invention is to provide anA ankle brace having stirrup and leg sections which are pivotally connected and adapted to flex at the ankle joint.

'Another object of the invention is to provide an ankle brace with which the 'wearer may change his shoes without removing the brace from his leg.

'Another object is to provide an ankle brace formed with pivotally connected leg and stirrup sections which may be easily and quickly detach- Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing-a portion` ofthe brace, the shoe and attaching mechanism on the opposite side of the brace to that shown in Fig. l; I

. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing a portion of the brace and the shoe, with the brace in flexed position;

Fig. 4 is a sectionized view taken along the lon-` gitudinal axis of the lateral stay which is equipped with a spring-operated flexing mechanism;

...Fig 5 is a sectionized View oi'` a portion of a lateral stay, the section being taken on the line Fig. Gis a sectionized View of the shoe and a;

portion ofthe ankle brace, the section being taken along thecenter line of the brace and showing the same attached to the stirrup ofthe shoe, in latched position; f'l'ig. 7 is a sectionized view of the shoe and a portion of the ankle brace, similar to that shown in fFig. 6, showing the stays of the brace unlatched and separated fromthe shoe and the stirrup.

Fig. `8 is a perspective `View showing another form of the improved ankle brace attached `t0` ashoe and illustrating the shoe attaching mechai 1.1i the toe in elevated position;

2 Fig. 9 is a perspective View showing a portionv of the brace and a shoe and attaching mecha-` nism on the opposite `side of the brace tothat` shown in Fig. 8

Fig. 10 is a partially sectionizedsicle` elevation shoe and illustrating the `toe elevating mechamsm; I I Fig.` 1l is aI partially sectionized side elevation similar to Fig; 10, showing the shoe tilted with` Fig. 12 is a verticalsection taken on the line I2-I2ofFigr10; i i i Fig. 13 is aside elevationA of a modied form of the improved brace;

Fig.` 14 is a similar view showing the shoein"` flexed position; I V I *l Fig. 15 is a* vertical sectional View taken onf line I5-I5 of Fig. 13; and f i Fig. 16 is asectional view taken on I6-I6 of Fig. 15. I

-Briey stated, the invention relates to an anklel brace which-is `formed in two sections, an upper` section which comprises longitudinal stays which are attached to a corset for enclosing the lower' portion of the leg of the wearenanda stirrup which is attached to the wearers shoe.

`Referring to Fig. l, the numeral I0 indicaties.` v

thel ankle brace,.II and II' the stays which lareA attached to a corset I2, the` latter beingadaptedv to encircle the lower portion of the leg ofthe.y wearer. The numeral I3 indicates the stirrup which is rigidly connected to the shoe. of theA wearer. To the stays are attached endmembersf. I4 and; I5, the latter being provided witlrpivotal meansas willbe described. The end member I4. is provided with a combined circular bearingA receptacle and spring housing I6 of increasingl diameters, the smallestof `which is indicated by` the numeral` Il and `which is provided for the4 reception of aisleeve I8, the next larger diame. eteris indicated by the numeral I9, and providesi a Fcircular. space for the reception of the spring; 20. A portion of the circular bearing receptacle.` which is of largest diameter, is indicated by` the` numeral 2 I, and is arcuate in form, and 'adapted' to provide a bearing surface for the intermediate" pivotally connected bearing member 22, to whichV one side of the stirrup is attached.

The bearing member 22 which is shown ln sec` `tion in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 comprises a lower `por" i tion having two downwardly projecting parallel walls 23 and 24 which are spaced to receive one side ofthe stirrup I3, the wall 23 being provided t with a slot therein in which is pivotally mounted a" 4latching member 25, and an"` upper portionA of a stirrup arm. The trunnion is provided with an annular groove 36 for the engagement of alocking member 3 I which is adapted to slide over the end of the trunnion 28 and which engages the` groove 30 to lock the arm of the stirrup in pivotal engagement with the trunnion asl will bev described further.

The stirrup I3 comprises a metallic bar of `rectangular cross-section having a central straight portion 32 which is embedded within the` heel` 33 of a shoe 34 and held rigidly in place by a screw 35.` The straight portion 32 of the Stirrup [3"is bent upwardly at either end thereof to form support members 36`and 31 which connect with the bearing member 22 and the end. member I5 or the stay I I.

The lupwardly extending portion 36 is provided with an opening 38 which is engaged by the pivotally mounted latohing member 25 when the member 36 is moved up into the space between thedownwardly projecting ends of. the bearing member 2v2.

The upwardly extending,Y portion 31 of the stirrup is drilled with a circular bearingopening 39-,which its over trunnion -28 and is held in engagement therewith by the locking member 3| which-slides over the end ofthe trunnion 28v and engages the groove to lock the upwardly extending arm 31 in pivotal engagement with the trunnion as will be described.

The spring 20 rsurrounds-the sleeve member I8 and one end thereof is connected Vto the end member Id and the other end to the bearing member-2v2 as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and-6.

Referring to the modied form of the dev-ice i The bearing member 55, which is pivotally con'-l ncted `to the stay I, consistsvof a central base provided with upper'. parallelly extending, pivotal connecting members 59 and 59 and parallelly extending clamping' members 6l] and 60. The bearing member 55 is pivotally connected to the brace 5Irv by means of a screw 6I adapted to pass' throughfa hole in connecting member 59vand is threaded tot a tapped hole in the connecting member 59 to thusform a `pivot joint between the" brace 5`I and the bearing member 55. The lower clamping members 66 and 6|3l are riveted to the vertical arc 51 of the stirrup r561;

y The'bearing member 55 is formed with a plunger housing Iz-whicli 4projects forwardly and downm wrdiyrromthe'rnain body thereof. Thigpiunger housing is drilled to provide a passage having a larger and a smaller diameter for* the receptionof the-p1unger'63and spring 64, and is tapped for the reception of theretainingscrew 55T n v The upper part ofthe central body portion of the bearing member 55 is provided with a cutaway The stays 5I and 52" i i portion 66 for the reception of a stop member 61 which projects downwardly from the brace 5I. This stop member 61 not only functions to prevent the stirrup from turning about its pivot in a backward direction, after it is in longitudinal alignment with the brace, but also' functions as an abutment for the plunger whichpresses against the stop member in order to move the toe of the shoe upwardly and thus assist the wearer in walking.

The bearing member 56 contains no spring operated plunger and is formed merely with a central body portion 68 provided with two upper parallelly projecting pivotal connecting members 69 and 69 and two lower parallelly extending clamping members 10 and 10. The bearing member 56 is pivotally connected to the brace 52 by means of thescrew 1I. The clamping members 10 and 10 of the bearing member 56 are riveted to the upwardly projecting army 5%- of the stirrup 54.

Another form of spring-operated ankle jointls:A shown in Figs. 13, 14, l5 and 16, in which a spiral@r spring is used instead of a hel-ical springas illus# trated-in Figs. 8, 9 and l0. In this type orf-,pivotalA joint the stay 12 is provided at one end-.wfitheanlv outwardly projecting trunnion 13, whichV isdrilled;` centrally for the reception of a screw 14. The

an upwardly projecting arm A16 ofthe stirrup 11,.. is provided with a bearing opening 18'-which-isgf tted rotatably upon the trunnion-13r Theupper portion ofthe bearing member15fis cut away toi forma circular spring housing 19 which iscone#Y centric with the bearing opening 18.1` Within.V this spring housing is mounted the coil spring-:80, the one end of which is attached tothe sideiof th'ef housing 18 by means of thefscrew 8ly and towthcs trunnion 13. The coil spring-,8B functions in the.: same manner as. thev helical spring'd, thatislt moves the stirrup so as to elevate the--toeoftln'a` shoe and thus assists the wearer in walking.

Having thus described our invention, whatY claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:y

1. An ankle brace for reinforcing a weakened leg and foot, comprising aframe formedwithlat-ey eral stays", al corsetattached to the stays' andi: L. adapted to surround'the lowerportion of theileg ofthe wearer, andfa stirrupeonnected to' a worn-onthe foot of ,thewearen me'ans withinthef heel of said shoe for securing the stirrup theretogl means pivotally connecting th'est'irrup to the ends n of thestays t'ol form a joint'adapted to allow hexet with lateral stays attached to Va corset adapted]` ing of the brace at the ankle, and spring means mounted inthe connecting means-for' operating on'` the stirrup to `effect elevation ofthe toe ofthe?? shoe to facilitate walking.

2.An ankle bracefor reinforcing4 a weakened:-

` leg and foot comprising a frame formed with'let# eral stays, a corset attached to the stays' and adapted to surround'the lowerportion `of theleg,

of the wearer andastirrup extending through ai,...

channel formed-within the'4 heel ofthe shoe wormon the foot of the wearer, and meanswithinsaid?,y heel for securing the stirrup thereto, pivotalbeaw-A ing members connected to the ends of the stays and to said stirrup, and springl means mounted?- within a bearing member and coacting witha stay.;

to effect an angular movement of the stirruptctfL raise the toe of the wearer and.l thus facilitate walking.

3. An ankle brace comprisinga frame formed.

to ,surround the lcwer portion or the limb 9;

wearer, end members connected to said stays, a stirrup connected to the shoe of the wearer, said stirrup having upwardly extending arms, an intermediate bearing member pivotally connected to one of said end members adjacent its lower end and in horizontal alignment with the ankle joint of the wearer, releasable clamping means in connection with said bearing member adapted to clamp one of the upwardly extending arms of said stirrup, a trunnion projecting from the opposite end member adjacent its lower end and in horizontal alignment with the pivotal connection of said intermediate bearing member, said trunnion being adapted to be connected pvotally to the other arm of said stirrup, and resilient means in connection with said bearing member and said first-mentioned end member adapted to ex the brace at its pivotal connections to thereby tilt the toe of the shoe upwardly to facilitate walking.

4. An ankle brace comprising a frame formed with lateral stays attached to a corset adapted to surround the lower portion of the limb of the wearer, end members connected to said stays, a stirrup connected to the shoe of the wearer, said stirrup having upwardly extending arms. an intermediate bearing member pivotally connected to one of said end members adjacent its lower end and in horizontal alignment with the ankle joint of the wearer, releasable clamping means in connection with said bearing member adapted to clamp one of the upwardly extending arms of said stirrup, a. trunnion projecting from the opposite end member adjacent its lower end and in horizontal alignment with the pivotal connection of said intermediate bearing member, said trunnion being adapted to be connected pivotally to the other arm of said stirrup, and a helical spring surrounding the pivotal connection of said bearing member and connected at its ends to said first-mentioned end member and to said intermediate bearing member adapted to ex the brace at its pivotal connections to thereby tilt the toe of the shoe upwardly to facilitate walking.

5. An ankle brace comprising a frame formed with lateral stays attached to a corset adapted to surround the lower portion of the limb of the wearer, one of said stays being provided with a downwardly projecting stop member, a stirrup connected to the shoe of the wearer, said stirrup having upwardly extending arms, intermediate bearing members pivotally and releasably connected to one of said stays adjacent the lower end thereof and in horizontal alignment with the ankle joint of the wearer, clamping means in connection with said bearing members adapted to clamp rigidly the upwardly extending arms of said stirrup, a plunger housing formed integrally with one of said intermediate bearing members and projecting forwardly and downwardly therefrom, a spring pressed plunger slidably mounted within said housing, said plunger being adapted to press against said stop member to dex the brace at its pivotal connections and thereby tilt the toe of the shoe upwardly to facilitate walking..

6.',An ankle brace comprising a, frame formed with lateral stays attached to a corset adapted to surround the lower portion of the limb of the wearer, a stirrup connected to the shoe of the wearer, said stirrup having upwardly extending arms, intermediate bearing members interconnecting the stirrup and stays and pivotally and releasably connected to said stays adjacent their lower ends and in horizontal alignment with the ankle joint of the wearer, clamping means in connection with said bearing members adapted to clamp rigidly the upwardly extending arms of said stirrup, a circular spring housing concentric with the pivotal mounting and formed within said intermediate bearing members and a coiled spring mounted within said spring housing surrounding said pivotal mounting and connected at its ends to said stay and to said intermediate bearing member adapted to ex the brace at its pivotal connections and thereby tilt the toe of the shoe upwardly to facilitate walking.

JOHN M. HAUSER. BURKE M. SNOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

